Ellius
by xXThatGuyWithTheFaceXx
Summary: What if Sword Art Online (Aincrad arc) ended differently? What if everyone wasn't released and Kayaba wasn't dead? In this story, Kayaba survives and forces Kirito and Asuna to brave a new world by themselves to save everyone. Will they survive? Or will they be destroyed, leaving everyone trapped in Kayaba's sick death game forever? [Rated T just in case]
1. A New Challenge (1)

**~~An alternate ending to the Aincrad Arc of Sword Art Online.~~**

* * *

With a final slice, Kirito launched himself at Heathcliff. Unable to defend himself in time, Heathcliff looked in horror as his HP began to diminish rapidly.

_"How did you-" _he was cut off as his HP reached zero. Smiling, as if hiding some secret, he pixelated and disappeared.

At the same time, all the players regained their movement.

"Kirito! You did it!" Asuna cheered, running over to embrace him.

"Stop!" Kirito yelled, "Something doesn't seem right..." As if on cue, everyone in the room was instantly teleported back to the center in the Town of Beginnings.

* * *

"What's going on?"

"Did the people on the front lines beat the game?"

"Is there another surprise for us?" People cried, wondering why everyone had been suddenly transported to the center.

_Where is Asuna_, wondered Kirito. He methodically scanned the crowd for Asuna's familiar red and white Knights of Bood Oath uniform. After a minute, he spotted her. She was on the other side of the area, in between a burly Liberation Force member and a young child, who looked obviously terrified by the sudden change.

**"Asuna!"** Kirito yelled across the plaza. However, Asuna couldn't hear him. Kirito attempted to message her using the game controls. He selected her name and began typing a message, however, he was interrupted by the sudden, gravely familiar flash of a system notification.

_Oh god, it's happening again_, he thought. Sure enough, that robed, faceless avatar Kayaba Akihiko was first sighted as had appeared.

"Welcome, players," his voice boomed across the plaza. "You are all most likely wondering why I have gathered you here."

"Yeah, tell us!" screamed a man near the front of the plaza. Kirito recognized him as Kibaou, the man who corrupted the Aincrad Liberation Force and started the segregation between Beta Testers and normal players. Suddenly, Kayaba opened his menu, and in a few short clicks, Kibaou was dead.

"Now that I will not be interrupted," Kayaba growled, "I will explain why you are all here: A player by the name of Kirito was able to deduce my disguise as Heathcliff, leader of the Knights of Blood Oath, and succesfully defeat me in combat." Kayaba explained. "I had originally planned to continue playing, and then to finally reveal myself as the final boss on the 100th floor. However, now that I have already been defeated, I will offer you all a choice. You may choose to continue playing the game and complete the final levels of the game. Or you may send two players into Ellius, another game I created for this specific scenario. I will not tell you the specific details, but Ellius is similar to Aincrad. If the two players are unable to clear the 5 levels of Ellius, everyone will remain trapped here until they die.

A message suddenly appeared in front of everyone. The display read:

_ Make Your Choice:_

_Continue Aincrad_

_Defeat Ellius _

Grumbling, the players cast their votes. When they had finished, Kayaba announced the results.

"The players have cast their votes," Kayaba announced, "The majority of you decided on defeating Ellius. Congratulations! You have two days to pick your players." And suddenly, he was gone.

* * *

**Tell me: Did you love it, like it, or hate it?**

**Any suggestions for the next chapter?**

**Please leave a review or message me on tumblr!**

**Thanks! ~~~~That Guy With The Face**


	2. Who Will Go? (2)

**~~Sorry it came out so late. I typed it up before but my computer crashed and it was too late to re-write it. Well, it's here now so enjoy it! **Hint: bit of Klein x Kirito near the end. Nothing dirty dont worry**~~**

* * *

It's been a day since Kayaba Akihiko addressed the players and explained Ellius. Everyone is gathered in the town center at Tolbana. The same place where Diabel first called everyone together to face the first boss.

"We volunteer!" exclaimed one of the men gathered here. He was dressed in the standard low-ranking Knights of Blood Oath uniform. He bared a striking resemblance to Kuradeel. To his right stood another low ranking guild member. However, this one belonged to the Liberation Force. He was burly, and muscular. His long black hair dropped down to shoulder level. Suddenly the second man spoke,

"My name is Ezekiel, and this is William." he said gesturing to his left. "We are both part of the some of the strongest guilds in the game, _and_ we were both involved in the beta test." Ezekiel continued. The spectators muttered and conversed with each other until someone spoke out.

"Before we decide, what are your levels?" questioned a boy in the audience. He looked around seventeen, clad in navy blue armor and a cape to match. He had short, spiky hair, which left his face clear, revealing his deep brown eyes. He had a definite air of confidence about him as he spoke.

"We want to get out of here as fast as possible, which means we don't have enough time to wait for slow levelers." he continued. At this remark the two men looked down embarrassedly.

"Well... we're both level 62-" William began before the boy cut him off.

"62!" he exclaimed, "Pathetic. Even I'm a higher level than you. We don't have enough time to wait for the two of you. Sit down, and we'll find someone else more _suitable_." he finished.

The men scurried embarrassedly back to their seats. Not wanting to endure any more public humiliation, they sat alone off to the side.

"Now as it seems like I'm the only one who will ask;" the boy started, "Are there any others who would like to volunteer?"

Somewhere towards the top left of the stands, Kirito and Asuna attempted to stand up and announce themselves. However, before they could say anything a woman suddenly began to scream.

"L-L-Laughing C-Coffin!" she exclaimed, directing everyone's attention towards the entrance on the left. Sure enough, three shadowy men, clad in dark cloaks slowly strode across the plaza.

_I thought we destroyed them_, Kirito cursed to himself as they approached the center.

"People of Aincrad," one of them began, "We understand the importance of escaping this world just as much as any of you."

"Two of us would easily defeat this new game, "_Ellius_", or whatever it's called." rasped a second.

"How do we know you're telling the truth?" a woman questioned, "You could just be lying to trick us all and kill us."

The third member interjected, "That's a possibility, but it's also possible we _are_ telling the truth. Who says we don't want to get out of here, too?" he proposed. "Why would we want to stay here forever?"

As people mulled over their words, small signs of agreement started appearing. Kirito knew more than everyone else however. He couldn't allow everyone to be fooled.

"Everyone, stop!" Kirito began to explain, "I have personally dealt with Laughing Coffin before, and I know they are absolutely _not_ to be trusted at any cost, whether they _are_ telling the truth or not. Do not forget, these are people who killed their fellow players!"

At this, people in the crowd immediately started to shout in agreement.

"Yeah!"

"He's right!"

"They're PKers! They can't be trusted!"

Seeing this and understanding it was too late, the Laughing Coffin leader gestured for his partners to withdraw.

"When you're all trapped here you'll wish you had taken up our offer" he hissed. "Enjoy the rest of your life here, because you'll never leave." and with that, Laughing Coffin had slithered out, restoring the peace and friendly atmosphere.

"How about you?" asked the armored teen who had seemingly moved to a position in the front of the crowd.

"You said you dealt with Laughing Coffin before, right?" he inquired. "Wait... That cloak... That's the Cloak of Midnight! You're _Kirito_! The one who beat Heathcliff!" At this, all over the crowd, people's faces lit up.

"I think we found one of our heroes," the boy continued. "You _will _help... right?" he asked.

"Of course I will," Kirito shrugged, "But _only_ if Asuna is my partner." he demanded, gesturing for her to stand up. People were in awe at the sight of the Knights of Blood Oath second-in-command and the strongest player in the game.

"Well I guess it's settled then." the boy said, "You are all dismissed."

* * *

After everyone had cleared out, Kirito was walking back down the street with Asuna.

"I'll be right back. Asuna said. "I'm going to get some ingredients."

"Ok," Kirito agreed, "Meet me back at the house." he said as she left.

Kirito was left walking down the street alone when suddenly,

"Kirito!" someone screamed.

_I recognize that voice…_ Kirito thought. _It's Klein!_

"Kirito!" Klein panted, "I've been looking all over for you!"

"Sorry, I didn't know. Why didn't you just message me through the game?"

"I wanted to say it in person. Good job standing up against those. Laughing Coffin jerks."

"It was nothing. I know better than to let them fool everyone."

"Still... Oh and I just wanted to say..." Klein's voice cracked, "Th-thanks for all you're doing... Saving everyone and all... It seems like just a little while ago you were teaching me how to use a sword... Now you're saving everyone and beating the game."

"You know I have to. There are tons of people still stuck in this death game. Not to mention thousands have already been killed. No one wants to spend a minute longer than they have to in here. Asuna and I going in to Ellius is the best way to get everyone out of here as safely and quickly as possible."

"I know that. But still, it takes a lot of courage to volunteer for something like this. Just promise me you'll win and come back alive."

"Don't worry, Klein. I'll be fine."

"**Promise me.**"

"Jeez, fine I promise. You happy?"

"Yeah... Well I have to go, see ya 'round Kirito."

"You too, Klein."

* * *

**~~Soooo how'd you like it? Love like or hate? Any suggestions? Tell me in the reviews! (I live for them)~~**


	3. The Last Meal (3)

**~~ Thanks for the reviews! Since I've been getting a lot of complaints about it, I'll try to keep the personalities more canon-ish. I got pestered by a lot of people about Kayaba, so gomen :P ~~**

* * *

"Kirito!" Asuna exclaimed as she walked into their house. "Since today is probably our last time in this world, I got us some S-class ingredients for our last dinner!"

"How'd you get them? You didn't have to hunt for them yourself did you?" asked Kirito apprehensively.

"Don't worry," Asuna reassured, "There's a dive down on the 48th floor that sells all kinds of ingredients."

"Oh. Can I help you cook?" asked Kirito.

"Sure."

Asuna went right to work, tapping all the ingredients so the system automatically chopped them. As usual, Kirito was amazed by her skill at cooking. Noticing Kirito's complete lack of an idea on what to do, Asuna stopped what she was doing to instruct him.

"Having trouble?" she asked playfully.

"No…" Kirito replied, averting his eyes, "I was just thinking of what I want do first…"

"Oh admit it," cried Asuna, "You have no idea what you're doing." she said.

"Here, let me help." She said, walking over to behind where Kirito stood and wrapping her arms around him.

"A-Asuna…" he protested.

"Oh be quiet," she replied, "I'm just helping you cook."

Kirito blushed as he allowed her to direct his hands towards the food. As this continued, Asuna explained everything she did with Kirito's hands.

"Tap here to slice the onions…"

"If you combine these you get this sauce…"

"Now put it in the oven and let it cook until it beeps."

Before long, the meal was already assembled. It looked delicious. There were plates of sushi, fish, vegetables, and meat. Not to mention the myriad of sauces to match. Kirito and Asuna both sat down.

"Itadakimasu!" they cried in unison.

* * *

"That was delicious!" cried Kirito, surprised. "It was better than anything I've ever tasted! Even in the real world!"

"Well, Sword Art Online does have some perks… I guess…" Asuna said somberly.

Kirito realized too late that mentioning the real world had been a bad idea. It just reminded the two of them of what was about to happen tomorrow.

"Speaking of the real world…" Kirito began, "I'm not sure I want you to come with me to Ellius. I mean, what if you get hurt… or _k-killed_?" his voice cracking upon the last part of the sentence.

"Kirito…" Asuna whispered.

"I would never be able to forgive myself if you got hurt because of me."

"It wouldn't be your fault!" Asuna protested, "And I have to come. Whether you want me to or not."

"_No_." Kirito replied stubbornly, "I won't let you."

"You can't stop me. _You're_ the one who asked to go with me anyway, don't you remember?"

"I didn't think it through at that time. I was caught up in the moment."

"_No_. It's too late anyway, it was already decided. Plus, Kayaba will be back tomorrow morning to take us to Ellius."

"_Please_, Asuna! Just listen to me!" Kirito cried one last time.

"I said _no_. If I had to let you go alone, and you died in there with some stranger, I-I wouldn't be able to forgive _myself_, either."

"Fine. But if I die… promise me you won't kill yourself. Promise me you'll save everyone and escape this game. I don't want you to have to die just for me."

"**I promise.**"

They silently cleaned up the dishes and put them away. After changing into their sleeping clothes, they entered the bedroom together and lay next to each other.

"I love you, Kirito."

"I love you, too, Asuna."

And with that, they drifted off to sleep…

* * *

**~~ How'd you like it? Love, like, or hate? Any suggestions for the next chapter? As usual tell me in the reviews! Also, note; since "Itadakimasu" has no "true" English translation; I just used the original Japanese. Sorry if that bothers you. :P ~~**


	4. Departure (4)

_Today's the day, _Kirito thought as he got up. Asuna was already awake, and was most likely in the kitchen making breakfast. Kirito got out of bed, slowly walked over to the wall and opened the curtains. He returned to the bed to fix it. A sudden overpowering feeling of nostalgia washed over him, nulling his senses.

_This is the last time I'll ever do this_, he thought as he pulled the sheets up. Finally resetting the pillows, he brought up the menu. He quickly de-selected his sleeping clothes and changed into his shorts and black t-shirt. Closing the menu, he debated whether or not he should turn on the lights. He finally decided to just leave them off and walked out into the kitchen. Asuna was waiting for him in her casual clothes. The table was already prepared. There were strips of bacon, pastries, and breakfast meats already arranged and waiting to be eaten. As usual, the system caused them to look abnormally perfect.

Asuna, holding two plates of scrambled eggs and toast sat down across from Kirito.

"It's hard to believe that after all the time we've spent here, we're so close to getting back to the real world." she said, reaching for a cinnamon bun.

"I know. I wonder what's going on out there sometimes." Kirito agreed, "Were they trying to find a way to get us out all this time? Or did they just trust in us to escape?"

"I'm sure they tried," she answered, "but considering we're still here, they couldn't have succeeded."

Kirito nodded. He was about to take a bit of his toast when a thought occurred to him.

"Since this food isn't real, how are our bodies being kept alive in the real world?"

"I'm sure our families have been taking care of us"

"But what about those unfortunate people who live alone? Did they all just die?"

"Well Klein's still here, isn't he? So I guess they have us being cared for in hospitals or something."

"You're probably right."

The two adventurers remained silent for a while, trying to enjoy their last meal. Once they had finished, they each changed into their battle outfits. Asuna checked the time

"**11:56**"

"We should get going," she said to Kirito.

"Yeah," he said, finally equipping _Elucidator_ and _Dark Repulser_, "Let's go."

"**Teleport: Town of Beginnings!**"

"**12:00****"**

The town center, which was previously unoccupied, was now full. All the players who had not previously traveled there had been forcefully teleported, just like the first two times. That familiar robed avatar that was Kayaba Akihiko had appeared again, surrounded by his usual barrage of system notifications. This time, everyone was already expecting him, so there were no crying children or angry players.

"Welcome back," his voiced boomed across the plaza, "So have you chosen who will enter Ellius?" he asked rhetorically.

"Yes," Kirito said, "We will."

He and Asuna, who had prepared and already chosen a position in the front of the center, stepped forward in unison. Suddenly, they were raised into the sky next to Kayaba.

"Perfect," he said as they stopped ascending, "I had hoped it would be the two of you." Kayaba quickly looked through his menu, typed in a command, and raised his head to look at the crowd.

"Now, if you open your menus, you should notice a new option towards the bottom called "View." Clicking this will allow you to watch these two at any moment of their adventure." He said.

"Now, you two," he said, looking at Kirito an Asuna, "Are you ready to depart?" he asked.

They each looked down at the mass of players who had been gathered. Kirito scanned the crowd and saw Agil, Lisbeth, Silica, and Klein. Klein, realizing that his friend was looking right at them, waved. The others noticed, too. They each gave Kirito one last gesture, a smile from Agil, a thumbs-up from Silica, and an air-kiss from Lisbeth.

"Yes," Kirito answered, "I think we are."

With that, he and Asuna pressed the button and pixelated. They smiled one last time at their friends as they disappeared from that world.

**~~ Sorry! I was going to write more, but I wanted to get another chapter up today, and my parents are taking us out for dinner. I hope you all liked it! ReadxReview! Also, check out the poll on my profile about Klein. Bye! ~~**


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